Natasha’s nudge to managing money

ACCOUNTANT, financial planner and mortgage broker Natasha Janssens has written her book, “Wonder Woman’s Guide to Money”, to help busy women get to grips with their finances.

Natasha Janssens… “One of the main obstacles for women in paying attention to their money is the mental load and the never-ending to-do list.” Photo: Alexandra Orme

“I’ve been involved in financial education for years and I found that one of the main obstacles for women in paying attention to their money is the mental load and the never-ending to-do list,” she says.

“It prompted me to see if I could put together a practical and condensed guide for women who may not have time to do one of my courses.

“I also wanted to grab women’s attention and make them aware of the extent of the issue, and why we have to make a conscious effort to fix it.”

Mum-of-two Natasha founded her business Women With Cents in 2016 after her Facebook group Mummy Matters was inundated with questions about financial literacy from women across the country.

She says the book explores the beliefs that women create about money and provides strategies and tools to help them make a change.

“Women are generally not as involved in household finances as men and one of the things that perpetuates this is lack of time,” she says.

“It’s the plight of the modern-day ‘wonder woman’, because we often have a career but we are still in charge of the house and the kids as well.

“We tend to feel that it is our responsibility to do the laundry before things like looking at the super. But there’s no reason your partner can’t step up and take over some of the household chores.

“Delaying making this change means that we lack the confidence around money as well and taps into the fear that, ‘I’m not going to make the right decision’.”

Natasha says the book has online resources, including a downloadable spreadsheet and a checklist for organising important documents.

It’s also practical and relatable, she says, with real stories from women about their experiences.

“There’s something for people of all stages, and it covers investing, superannuation, mortgages and life insurance – I’ve tried to make it enjoyable to read as well as being helpful. It’s not your average financial book!

“It’s the nudge women need to take control and build financial independence.”

“Wonder Woman’s Guide to Money” is available in Dymocks Belconnen or any online bookstore. RRP $24.95.

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